Attachments
CRISIS IMPACT OVERVIEW
Since 26 May, there have been heavy rains across Venezuela, especially in the states of Zulia, Táchira, Mérida, Trujillo, Amazonas, Bolívar, Delta Amacuro and Esequibo (La República 15/06/2023; IFRC 12/07/2023). The first tropical wave (an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, which moves from east to west across the tropics ) of the rainy season (typically between May and November) occurred in June and resulted in flooding, mainly affecting the states of Barinas, Carabobo, Cojedes, Mérida, Portuguesa, Táchira, Trujillo and Zulia (VOA 01/06/2023). In the state of Portuguesa, this first wave affected around 5,100 people (1,200 families), causing damage to houses and blockages in drainage systems (Infobae 07/06/2023). In Barinas and Tachira states, more than 510 people (120 families) were affected by floods (Defensoría del Pueblo 02/06/2023).
Between June and July there have been 19 tropical waves, that have brought heavy rains, floods and landslides across the country (Efecto Cocuyo 16/07/2023; El Carabobeño 15/07/2023). Despite advances in risk and disaster prevention measures during the rainy seasons, at least 645,000 people (150,000 families) remain at risk in the states of Apure, Aragua, Portuguesa, Sucre, and Vargas (IFRC 12/07/2023). Only in the Delta Amacuro state around 7,500 individuals are affected by 2023 floods (OCHA 17/07/2023).
During the 2022 season, heavy rains in Venezuela affected approximately 14,000 households (IFRC 12/07/2023). From April to December 2022, the states of Mérida, Zulia, Trujillo, Táchira and the Capital District remained in a state of emergency because of rains and their subsequent impacts (IFRC 17/12/2022).
Because of flooding and landslides, the population mainly required shelter, livelihoods, health, psychosocial and mental health support, water, sanitation and hygiene promotion (IFRC 12/07/2023).
Venezuela had a score of 4.2/10 on the INFORM climate change risk index. The index predicts no change in flood risk in the country through 2050, but expects increasing impacts of coastal flood as a result of the increased impacts of hurricanes in the region (EU accessed 17/06/2023).